Importance of the Amazon Rainforest Fires

The Guardian

The Guardian

Sam Medina, Arts and Entertainment Editor
November 21, 2019

The Amazon Rainforest is one of the most important ecosystems in the world. Producing more than 20% of our clean oxygen, this rain forest it is very important to the Earth: especially with the growing crisis of greenhouse gases; “gases that trap heat into the atmosphere,” according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The Amazon Rainforest is home to 16,000 different tree species, 2.5 million species of insects, 427 different mammal species, and countless indigenous reserves. Trees remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in their tissues, making them a natural solution to help get rid of the world’s carbon emissions. They are inexpensive to produce and greatly benefit the world.

Unfortunately in August 2019, the Amazon Rain Forest caught on fire and the sky above the city of São Paulo was coated with ash. This brought the attention of many environmentalists and social media influencers to spread awareness and share why the precious rain forest was on fire. The Amazon has had over 121,000 fires since January of this year. The Amazon fires were largely caused by ranch owners and farmers in Brazil who hoped to make new land for their farms; this technique is called slash-and-burn agriculture. This process consists of ranchers deliberately cutting and burning down trees so they can have the nutrients found in the rainforest’s soil, which is great for crops. This year, 80,000 of the Amazon’s 121,000 fires are the result of this slash-and-burn agriculture technique, which is also a method of deforestation. Deforestation is when forests are being cut down for purposes such as industrialization. 

In the Brazilian region, deforestation has a huge problem in the Amazon Rainforest for the last two decades. Deforestation creates a chain reaction of global crises, because fewer trees result in more uncontrolled greenhouse gases. This results in global warming and a decline in biodiversity. Governments that have control over forests need to work together to focus on this issue. 

Furthermore, the Brazilian government is not paying attention to the deforestation crisis that is happening in their own backyard. The inauguration of the Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro, has made deforestation seem insignificant because he has shifted the national focus to economic development before environmental concerns. Deforestation laws are not being enforced properly but rather encouraged in Brazil to make room for economic advancement. 

The Amazon Rainforest is a crucial contributor to help delay the major effects of climate change, and global warming it needs protection. The Amazon is home to millions of animals, plants, insects, and indigenous tribes. The Amazon should be cared for by the most advanced inhabitants of Earth, and we should strive to protect the Earth by first protecting the lungs of our planet. 

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